Bison, People, and Plains

Bison are icons of North American wildlife and have always played an important role to the survival of people on the Great Plains. Indigenous people in North America hunted and exploited bison in many incredible ways but also revered and respected these animals. They knew that when the bison thrived, so did they. In this episode, we will discuss the pre-colonial relationship between bison and humans on the Great Plains.

Chapters:
Introduction: 0:00
Bison Biology and Uses: 2:16
Early Hunting Strategies: 14:03
Communal Hunting: 18:22
Impacts of Hunting: 34:57
Near Extinction and Recovery: 38:56

[danem.]

I wanna genuinely thank you. Your work has made me appreciate native history and culture much more than I did before, which is a real shame seeing how I’ve lived in Texas and New Mexico my whole life. Your Chaco Canyon episode really hit me hard because I visited some of those sites as a young child. These people, their cultures and histories should be required curriculum in our elementary and high schools. We focus too much on the frontiersmen and pioneers and too little on the amazing people and civilizations that were here before.

[Lala-iogn]

I would absolutely ADORE an episode on indigenous fire regimes.

In Southern Oregon, where I live, fire exclusionary policies have devastated our forests. Their composition has drastically changed from the drought and heat resilient pine stands, to overstocked mountaintops of Douglas-fir. This has resulted in a significant intensification of fires, and the deprecation of habitat and harvest-able tree girth and quality.

I have a cursory understanding *that* local tribal groups used fire as a management tool, but the details, and broader context both within the local region and the entire continent is wholly lost on me.

[haleyguthrie]

We are covering bison in my class this very week! From a small reservation school in the PNW, thank you! My kids always enjoy your videos.

[bizhiwnamadabi]

You sir gained another subscriber. I am Plains Ojibwe and Plains Cree from Manitoba. I love bison. My reserve has herd back home. We have two spirit bison as well. I like learning about Indigenous American history. I like learning about my tribal neighbors and tribes far from me like the Amazon and Central America. I just found this channel.

[adamgreen]

You, miniminuteman, and Stephen Milo all helped me realize I wanted to pursue anthropology and archeology. I’m currently finishing my freshman year of college and couldn’t be any more appreciative of the research and work yall do.

[dascoug]

Bro I was getting ready for bed! Now I HAVE to stay up another 45 mins to savor this!

[jackisblue]

Our reservation in town just got some bison a month or so ago and it brings me so much joy every time I drive past them in the fields ❤

[mrbigbadbearbear]

Bison east of the Appalachians are a fascinating and under-studied topic. Its unclear when they arrived, and they don't have a substantial presence in pre-columbian trash pits. But we do know they were there. In the Northeast and Midatlantic, troupes of between a dozen and fifty individuals frequently occupied savanna and river-bottom ecosystems west of the fall line. Its a really unique niche chapter of natural history that I hope gets more attention in the future.

[Pahskwahknahpew]

Man I can’t express enough how much your work is appreciated. it’s hard to find legit information on Native American History, and a lot of the videos out there go about talking about these things in a mysterious/stereotypical kind of way. The way you go about presenting the information during your videos shows how realistic, curious, insightful, and respectful you are towards the cultures/people/topics you decide to cover. Your channel has been a gem for a while and it doesn’t seem to be letting up soon so thank you for that. if only everyone had your level of consideration!

[briantwiss]

A few years ago my brother and I were on a road trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He looks at me while I’m driving and asks if we’d see any bison in the Hills, I say “Probably not, they’re gonna be more in the plains, not up here.”

Less than five minutes later I’m proven very wrong and we get a view of one of these beautiful creatures up close (without aggravating it, thankfully.)

I’m so glad these animals are starting to come back in larger numbers!

[thongorshengar]

Ancient Americas kino just back on the menu boys 😍

[alanl.]

Can’t thank you enough for always making videos of indigenous North/South America! Great work as always!

[premodernist_history]

Great video! Thank you for going into detail about Head-Smashed-In. That was really fascinating. I love this format of doing a deep dive into an animal resource.

[JonnoPlays]

It makes sense that the Bison weren't domesticated. The hunt would have been a group activity that involved multiple tribes and ritual behavior. Domestication and farming represent a paradigm change in religious practice and power structure and I would think society would resist this change rather than adopt it unless necessary.

[l.mcmanus]

I grew up in Calgary Alberta and I remembered going on a field trip to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. I don’t remember hardly a details though. I remember being surprised that it didn’t look like a very long drop, but I guess piles and piles of bison over so many years built up the base. I think they taught us about funnelling the bison, but your explanation really clarified it for me.

I have a separate memory of sitting in a Teepee at the Glenbow museum and trying pemmican. Another class field trip.

[briannelyons]

Applause! I visited HSI Alberta as a teen, and it has stuck with me ever since living in alaska and hunting forest bison there gave me even more respect and awe of our ancestors. this was a very great episode of your wonderful channel. thanks!

[feartheamish]

The americas have a wealth of history that is barely known outside of academia. Thank you for creating something like this

[canaanval]

Awesome late night release from one of the best channels on Youtube!!!

[Radar_of_the_Stars]

this video is so good, I was genuinely enthralled from start to finish

[amandaewoldt]

I relocated to the ains 15 years ago and i love channels that educate me on this region.